Folding frame for sofa beds



Oct. 13, 1953 R. CO'OPERSMITH FOLDING FRAME FOR SOFA Babs s Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 19, 1949 INVENTOB'. WWM

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1953' R. CYOOPERSMITH 1 FOLDING FRAME FOR SOFA BEDS Filed Sept. 19. 1949 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 I 2 2 IWTORZ g gn/wguw wfl HIS ATTORNEYS.

1953' R. COOPEIRSMITH 2,654,395 FOLDING FRAME FOR SOFA BEDS Filed se t'. 19. 1949 s Sheets-Sheet a INVENTOB;

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Oct. 13, 1953 R. COOPERSMITH 4,

FOLDING FRAME FOR SOFA BEDS Filed Sept. 19, 1949 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 1 w RM .7 1 Z O E 7 6 0 8 T N M u 7 a N R L f E a m 8 W a T a W m T 8 x M I A W W 0 7 v .9 S l l I I l' |l| D ||.|||||/l L I: I l ll d 40 7 5 H 3 v 3 6 7 MW 9v 0 6 7 Fl 5 Patented Oct. 13, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOLDING FRAME FOR SOFA BEDS Rudolph Cooper-smith, Clayton, Mo.

Application September 19, 1949, Serial No. 116,463

11 Claims. 1

I This invention relates to folding beds or couches and is more particularly directed to the provision of a sectional frame work therefor which is pivoted together so that when folded, the sections are superimposed one on the other and may be unfolded by grasping the upper section and moving it outwardly from the folded bed, the sections pivoting on each other from the folded to unfolded position and vice versa.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a foldable mattress supporting frame so arranged that a part of a sectional mattress is disposed between two sections of the frame when folded one above the other, a third section of the frame and mattress forming a seat cushion when folded onto the other two sections.

Another object of the invention is to provide a framefor a sofa bed in which a foldable sectional mattress supporting frame is received, each section being pivoted so that the mattress frame may be unfolded and folded by a simple back-and-forth movement of the outer or upper section and in which means is provided for rigidly supporting the sections in their folded and unfolded conditions.

This invention consists in the provision of a frame for a sofa bed into which a four-section foldable mattress frame is folded, the sections being pivotally connected together so that. four sections will fold and unfold one above the other by moving the upper or outermost section toward or away from the frame. The invention also consists in the provision of supporting means for the unpivoted ends of each section for furnishing support for the several sections when in folded condition.

In the drawings: i

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the unfolded mattress and sofa bed frame,

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof,

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line C 3--3 of Fig. 2, l

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken alongthe line 44 of Fig. 2, x

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 55 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6-3 of Fi 2,

Fig. '7 is a side elevational view similar. to Fig 2 but with the mattress frame partly folded,

Fig. 8 is another side elevational view of the partly folded frame,

Fig. 9 is a side elevational view ofthefolded frame, Fig. 10 is a sectional View taken along the line |0l0 ofFig.9,

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the mattress used on the improved mattress frame,

Fig. 12 is a plan view of a modified form of the invention,

Fig. 13 is a side elevational view thereof.

Fig. 14 is a front elevational view thereof,

Fig. 15 is a sectional view taken along the line |5--I5 of Fig. 13,

Fig. 16 is a side view of the modified mattress frame showing the position of the parts after the first folding operation,

Fig. 17 is a side view of the modified mattress frame showing the position of the parts in the second folding operation,

Fig. 18 is a side elevational view showing the folded mattress frame; and

Fig. 19 is an enlarged side elevational view of a portion of the mattress frame.

This invention is embodied in a frame structure illustrated in the several views of the drawings in which the numeral I designates a pair of horizontal bars, and 2. and 3 are supporting legs secured to bars I, the point of securement of the ends of the bars being near the lower ends of legs 2 and 3. Braces 4 are provided between bars I and each of legs 2 and 3 for reinforcing the frame. The legs 2 have rigid horizontal mattress frame supporting bars 5 secured thereto which cooperate with parts of the folding mattress frame.

At the upper end of each of the legs 3 is pivotally secured at T-member 6, each of the T- members comprising a vertical bar 1 and a cross bar 8 much longer than the vertical bar I, the lower end of each bar I being pivoted to the upper ends of each of the legs 3. A lever 9 is pivoted toeach of the bars I by means of a pin [0 and each is slidably associated with bars H in slots I3 cut therein in which a pin [4 slides, the pin being secured to lever 9. Each bar I I is pivoted to one end of each of the cross-bars 8 by means of a pin l5. The unpivoted ends of bars Hare connected by means of a bar l6 disposed parallel to bar I! connected between the legs 2. The cross-bars 8 of the T-members' are connected by a bar [8 parallel to bars l6 and i1. Reinforcing members I! are connected between the outer ends of the cross-bars 8 and bar l8 for the bar I8 constitute the second section of the foldable bed frame.

The third section of the foldable bed frame comprises bars 2 I, one end of each bar being pivoted to cross-bars 8 by means of pins 22. Bars 23 are pivoted to bars 2| by means of pins 24. Bars 25 are provided at one end with a right angular portion 26 and are pivoted to bars 2! by means of pins 121 movin'g in sluts H' outwinibars 2|. The right angular portion 26 of the bars is connected to the upper ends of legs 3 by the pin which connect the T-member 6 thereto. Bars 2H sofa cushions to .be placed thereon when the bed have angle members 28 and 28 secured thereto whose functions will be subsequentlyiiescribed in connection with the folding and unfoldingopfla' of each of the bars 25 is provided with aper'fora- 4 48, is supported on the fabric 45. The portion of the mattress resting on the section of the fabric suspended from bars ll, [6, 8 and 21 is folded so as to be positioned between bars 8, II, and 2|. The section of the mattress resting on the fabric suspended from bars 34 and 36 constitutes a base for the seat cushions of the sofa. This portion of the mattress is somewhat wider than'the fnldable portion 'so that it 'will completely fillithe space betweenfthe sidesbfthe sofa frame in which the bed frame is to be installed,

.lthereby forming a more substantial base for the frame is folded into the sofa frame.

nlmodifi eddorm of the invention is illustrated in Figs. 13-19 in which the numeral 49 designates the "listed hori'zrmital bars of the stationary portion in which a pin 29 is positioned about-which link 30 pivots. secured thereon by means of a piVOt pin 32. .A spring 33 is 'connectedbetween each of links '30 and 3| on each side of the bed frame .for facilitating the folding and unfolding-thereof.

Ihe fourth section of the frame comprisesbars 34'rvhichare pivoted totheplate members 35secured to the .outer .end'ofbars '21; A bar 36 parallel to bars f6, 1! and l8'is connected between bars 3.4, thereby completing the bed frame. Cornerbra'ces'fl are proyided'for reinforcing the frame. "The outer ends of the third section are supported by legs '38 suitably secured to plate members 35. A pair of -'lcegsiill is'secured'to bars 36 for supporting the fourth section of the bed frame. These legs supp'qrtthe fourth section 'of the mattress supporting frame rnthe folded and old ond ion er'e i Bar ren v to bars 23 bymeans'of pins "'41 and are pivoted to s 3. y m a s ibi lQWe Y ends the bars 23 are connected by a dear 43, suitably braced "by straps 44 connected between bars 23 and 43. A bar '45 isconnectedbetweenthe legs 3 and constitutes a base for legs 39 when the mattress frame -i s in folded condition.

The :bed frame is foldedand unfolded by lifting thebarf-fli upwardly and simultaneously moving toward-or awayfr'om the stationary bar members I and)?! and "legs '2 and 3 forming part of the sofa frame. 'The lifting and pushing-action-on bar 33 will'cause bar member "34 to pivot about the pins in plate member 35. The bar members 21 will pivot about pins *2'2,-an d the T-menfber 6 will pivotaboutthe p'ms in-the upper'en'd-of legs 3; thelegs 38 'willmove toward barsi'l under the influence offbars and 36. Thebar members. H. will pivot about pins, f5 While .pins M willfslide in slots [)3 and lever -9 'will pivot about pins Ill. 'Iheseveral sectionsand members will assumethe positions shown in Fig. 9, and up n completion of the folding operation the bars 11 and 16 will liein a plane substantially parallel to the. plane.

of'bars l. Ifhe springs33 will now'be slackjhaying been 'tens'ioned in..the unfolded position so. that their 'force isfutilizedfin folding the mattress frame. directly above bars 'LI and the angle members! will rest on ithe horizontal bars 5, Theybarsfift will be positioned above members .2! with legs .38

and .bars 40. resting on angle :members 28,. The legs 3.9 will restbn 45, thereby lprQ d nesa ri d, pport-fo t e m tt ess iram -w -fo d nt o V .A .mattress supporting fabric 48. is-suspendedfrom bars IL I l i8, 2 i -3 4- and :the;convent o alsma ne ,A a r s fl. which s'm de up n t o sections -conne ted;;;by aflexibleimembea75- f ba s 12 connected by artranswz fie bar M;

Each of the bars I has a link 3| "The bars "21; will occupy .a position frameand makingit more rigid. 'Thelegs 50 are also conneeted by :a bar 54' 'which maintains the desired lateral spacing of bars "49. A'bar 55, located at the opposite ends of bars #9 from bar 5 '4', also maintains thelaterailspacing of the 'bars 49. This bar hasan additional function which will be hereinafter; set for'th.

' The mattress supporting 'framefis made up in four sections, the first of which consists ofbars 56, one end :of 'each being connected by a bar "55'.

Eachof-the bars -56-has a slot es cut therein, in

each "of whichapin 59is received'thatfissecured to one end 'of-a' leverdflwhose otherend-i's pivotally secured to *bar fllby a' pin til.

The 'second'secti'on -of"the mattress frame consists of if-members, 62 each comprising "a vertical member '63 to which a cross-bar 64 is rigidly 'secured. Atransversebar "65 is connected between the yerticalmembers 63. Suitable corner "braces 65 are provided between the cross -bar es and "the verticalfmeniher' for forming the second section intoa rigid construction. The lower end of each verticalmernber 63 is'pivotedto the upper end of leg 51' by pins 61, thereby enabling the second see'tion'to pivot as a unit relative *to legs "5 i The first and second'secti'ons of the mattress supporting frame are pivoted together, this beng accomp ished. by havin a p n 68 co nect d between bars "56 -and cross-barsjBd; A pair of levers, figis also connected between the two sections one e ld q lach "bar 'being ,pivotall-y .connected to levers "6U and'the other end pivotally connected tothe pin securing the two. members of "each 'T-"s'ect'ion' together. The "levers .39 move the-first section .vertically bymeans of ;pin .59 and slot 58 connection whenthe frame is :folded andmnfolded. I v

The" third section of the mattress supporting frame consists of bars .11 1, one end of .each barbeing piyotallly-eonnected ltd-each .cross-bar 84 byfineansl .of 'aijgin; v

The fourth section of the mattress supporting are lby means ofpinsl a and; the.::.other ends parallel to bar 54. The bars 10, at the point where pins 13 are connected thereto, have a plate 10' fastened therein, thus facilitating the pivotal motion. Legs are pivoted to pins 13 and connected together by a transverse bar 16 so that they move as a unit. Braces 11 are provided which extend between legs 15 and transverse bar 16 for increasing the rigidity thereof. Mattress protecting members 18 for the joint between the third and fourth sections are pivoted to bars 12 by means of pins 18 and rest on extensions 15 of legs 15, said extensions located between the adjoining ends of bars 10 and 12 (Fig. 19), both supported by legs 15. The folding of the two sections is facilitated by a U- shaped lever 88 pivoted to bars 12 on pins 18. The U-shaped member 80 has levers 8| pivoted thereto by means of pins 82 and said levers are also pivoted to bars 10 by means of pins 83. A spring 84 is connected between one end of lever 8| and angle support 89 which reacts on the lever 80 for assisting in the actuation of the third and fourth sections during the folding operation. The outer ends of bars 12 and bar 14 are supported on legs 85 secured to bar 14 and held rigid by braces 86 (one not shown). A mattress stop 81 is secured to bar 54 that holds the mattress in position on the frame during the folding and unfolding thereof. The bars 18 have angle supports 88 and 89 secured thereto whose function will be hereinafter set forth.

The mattress support comprises the four sections described consisting of bars 54, 49 T-section 62, and bars 10, 12 and bar 14. A wire fabric 90 is suspended from these several bars by means of springs 9| and suitable braces 92 are provided at the corners and between the transverse bars and some of the side bars for the purpose of stiffening the frame. Assuming the frame to be unfolded as shown in Fig. 13, the bar 14 is lifted until the third and fourth sections are in the vertical position shown in Fig. 16, the two sections pivoting about pins 1|. The fourth section is then pivoted about pins 13 as shown in Fig. 17, so that the leg assembly 15 is folded substantially parallel to bars 10. The leg 15 folds because bars 12 are angle bars whose upper flange at the left end portion, as viewed in Fig. 13, is cut away so that said ends of bars 12 act thereon, thereby causing them to move with the fourth frame section. During unfolding operations, the reverse action occurs aided by the mattress pros tector 18 and the plate 10'. Spring 84 is tensioned by the relative movement of the U-shaped lever 80, levers 8| and bars 10 and 12 which aids in counterbalancing the mattress on the frame. The fourth section foldsonto the third section, each being supported at one end on angle supports 88, the opposite end thereofbeing supported on bars 52 by angle supports .89. If for any reason the legs 85 should not rest squarely on bar 55, the angle support 88 in conjunction with cross-bar 64, will provide support therefor. When the third and fourth sections are pivoted about pin 13, the T-sections will start pivoting about pins 81. Levers 69 force lever 50 and its pin to move relative1 to slot 58 so that when the folding operation is completed, as shown in Fig. 18, bars 56 lie in the plane of bars 49 and legs 85 are supported on transverse bar 55, thereby providing a rigid support for the bar 14 and forming a rigid forward upper edge for the sofa. The mattress frame is unfolded by reversing the motions just described. i

A sectional mattress similar to that shown in Fig. 12 is applied to the fabric 98. The members 18 cover the joint between the third and fourth mattress supporting frame sections. When these sections fold, said members prevent the mattress fabric being pinched between the ends of the bar members 10, 12 and legs 15.

What I claim is:

1. A folding sofa bed comprising a stationary frame, a mattress supporting frame section supported for vertical movement in said stationary frame, a second mattress supporting frame section pivotally connected to said frame section and to said stationary frame, a third mattress supporting frame section pivotally connected to said second frame section and foldable to a position above said first mentioned frame section; and a fourth mattress supporting frame section pivoted to said third frame section and foldable onto said third frame section and forming a support for seat cushions.

2. A folding sofa bed comprising a stationary frame, a mattress supporting frame section, means supporting said frame section for vertical movement-with respect to said stationary frame, a second mattress supporting frame section pivotally connected to said frame and to said frame section, a third mattress supporting frame section pivotally connected to said second mattress frame section and foldable to a position above said frame section, a fourth mattress supporting frame section pivotally connected to said third mattress frame section; and a sectional mattress on said mattress supporting frame section, one section foldable between said frame section, said second, and third frame sections, the other section of said mattress disposed upon said fourth frame section and forming a support for sofa cushions when said frame and mattress are folded.

3. A folding sofa bed comprising a frame, a mattress supporting frame section in said stationary frame, means supporting said frame section for vertical movement, a second mattress supporting frame section pivotally connected to said frame section and to said frame, a third mattress supporting frame section one end thereof being pivoted to said second frame section and foldable to a position above said frame section, means for supporting the other end of said third frame section when it is folded or un folded, a fourth mattress supporting frame section having one end pivoted to the other end of said third frame section; and means for supporting the other end of said fourth frame section whenit is folded or unfolded, said fourth frame section when folded to a position above said third frame section constituting a support for sofa seat cushions.

4. A folding sofa bed comprising a stationary frame, a mattress supporting frame section, means supporting said frame section for vertical movement in said stationary frame, a second mattress supporting frame section pivoted to oneside of said frame section and to said stationary frame, a third mattress supportin frame section. having one side pivoted to said second frame sec tion and foldable to a position above said first mentioned frame section, a fourth mattress supporting frame section having one side pivoted to the other side of said third frame section, the other side of said fourth frame section being foldable to a position above said third frame section, means for supporting the other side of said third frame section. when folded above said first fourth section supporting means rests when it is folded to a position above said third section for providing a rigid support for the outermost end of said fourth section, a sectional mattress disposed on said frame, one section thereof resting on said T-members, said second and third sections and the other section of the mattress resting on said fourth section, said mattress supporting frame when folded folding the first mentioned section of said mattress between the superposed second and third sections and the other section remaining on said fourth section and forming a support for seat cushions.

10. A folding sofa bed comprising a stationary frame, a pair of T-members pivoted to said stationary frame and constituting a section of a foldable mattress supporting frame, a second section of said mattress frame pivoted to said T-members, a third section of said mattress frame pivoted to said T-members, a fourth section of said mattress frame pivoted to said third section, means for supporting said fourth section in the unfolded condition of said mattress frame, means on said stationary frame engageable with said fourth section supporting means for supporting the fourth section when folded, a leg assembly for supporting said third section and having a portion extending between said third and fourth sections; and means for causing said leg assembly to fold and unfold between said third and fourth sections when the mattress supporting frame is folded or unfolded.

11. A folding sofa bed comprising a stationary frame, a pair of T-members pivoted to said stationary frame and constituting a section of a fold- 10 able mattress supporting frame, a second section of said mattress frame pivoted to said T-members, a third section of said mattress frame pivoted to said T-members including a pair of bar members, a fourth section of said mattress frame pivoted to said third section including a pair of bar members, pins for pivotally securing the bar members of each section together, means for supporting said fourth section when said mattress frame is unfolded, means on said stationary frame engageable with said fourth section supporting means for supporting the fourth section when folded, a supporting assembly for said third section including a pair of legs, one disposed on each side of said mattress supporting frame, each leg having an extension for positioning between the adjoining ends of said pivotally connected bar members, each leg pivoted to one of said pins; and means for covering said adjoining ends of said bar members and said extensions.

RUDOLPH COOPERSMITH.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 583,164 Bailey May 25, 1897 956,972 Karpen May 3, 1910 1,078,910 Fischrupp Nov. 18, 1913 1,213,380 Karpen Jan. 23, 1917 1,549,289 Braley Aug. 11, 1925 1,686,384 Lamb Oct. 2, 1928 2,329,503 Young Sept. 14, 1943 2,353,329 Woller July 11, 1944 

